Introduction to the NARS Beach Lifeguard Course

Lifeguarding is one of life's most rewarding jobs. The beach lifeguard awards are a prerequisite for working with the RNLI on most of the UK beaches. The Beach Lifeguard Award is also needed should you wish to train as a surf instructor. The NARS Beach Lifeguard Award is internationally recognised as one of the most comprehensive lifeguard courses in the world.

The courses are based in Newquay, North Cornwall and accommodation can be arranged on request. The course is run over five days with an examination day on the Saturday.

Candidates must have a good level of fitness and be able to swim 400m in under seven and a half minutes. They must also be able to run 200m in under forty seconds. People wishing to use the qualification solely for surf coaching are not required to do the timed swim. The course is open to anyone over 16 years old.

Errant Surf Holidays provide's the NARS beach lifeguard course in Newquay.

Beach Lifeguard Course Details

The five-day course will run from Monday through to Friday with the examination on the Saturday. It is not essential, but having basic board skills and knowledge of beach and ocean environments will help. The cost of the course is £249, this includes all membership costs to SLSGB. The course will be run from our town base overlooking Great Western beach. The NARS Beach Lifeguard Award is valid for two years from the date of examination. We encourage students to continue training through a local SLSA surf life saving club once qualified as a beach lifeguard.

Beach Lifeguard Course Topics

• Lifeguard signals test
• Run test (see above)
• Pool test (see above)
• Tube rescue
• Board rescue
• Demonstrate deep water EAV
• Two man drag
• CPR adult, child and baby
• First aid questions
• Spinal Injury management
• Worksheet questions

Dates for NARS Beach Lifeguard Course

• 17th October - 22nd October 2011 - Full
• 14th November - 19th November 2011 - 5 Spaces left
• 13th February - 18th February 2011 - 8 Spaces left
• 26th March - 31st March 2012 - 10 spaces left
• 16th April - 21st April 2012 - 10 spaces left
• 14th May - 19th May 2012 - 10 spaces left
• 18th June - 23rd June 2012 - 10 spaces left
• 16th July - 21st July 2012 - 10 spaces left
• 6th August - 11th August 2012 - 10 spaces left
• 17th September - 22nd September 2012 - 10 spaces left
• 15th October - 20th October 2012 - 10 spaces left
• 12th November - 17th November 2012 - 10 spaces left

If you have a small group of five or more people it is possible to put on courses for your group at anytime of the year.

The cost is £249 which includes membership to the Surf Life Saving Association. Our beach lifeguard courses require a minimum of six people to run and in the unlikely event that a course does not fill, we can offer a change of dates, or full refund of deposit.

To book, please call 01637 851 403 or e-mail us.

About the SLSGB

Surf life-saving originated in Australia in the early 1900s, when the growth of seaside towns and interest in swimming led to a number of drownings. Patrols were formed by local residents, living close by beaches with strong currents, alerting people to the dangers of the surf. The Surf Life Saving Association of Great Britain (SLSA GB) was formed in 1955. Volunteer clubs patrolled beaches at Budge and St Agnes in Cornwall and Brighton - their aim to protect, rescue and resuscitate bathers.

There are now 60+ Surf life-saving clubs affiliated to the Association, with thousands of members aged from 7 – 70 years old. During the last 50 years, well over 20,000 rescues have been made on our beaches by lifeguards, most of whom have come from the volunteer ranks of the surf life-saving clubs where they learnt their patrolling and rescue skills.